​KNOXVILLE, TN – SEPTEMBER 19: Tennessee Volunteers defensive lineman Jordan Norman (33) and Tennessee Volunteers defensive lineman Ethan Utley (17) celebrate a stop during the college football game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Kennesaw State Owls on September 19, 2026, at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, TN. (Photo by Bryan Lynn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Texas football is preparing to head to Knoxville this coming weekend, where the Longhorns will open SEC play as a road favorite in what experts predict will be a key test for the program during the 2026 college football season.Consensus No. 1 Texas is currently a 5.5-point favorite versus No. 14 Tennessee, with the over/under listed at 55.5 points, according to the latest odds available online at FanDuel.Those numbers are anticipated to move before kickoff this Saturday. Odds trackers elsewhere are already showing the total at 57.5 points.Both Texas and Tennessee enter the matchup undefeated at 3-0. Texas is coming off a 30-6 win over UTSA over the weekend. Meanwhile, Tennessee notched their latest win in a 42-9 victory over Kennesaw State.It’s safe to say that the Longhorns have survived their most sizable early season challenge when Texas erased a 20-point deficit against then-top ranked Ohio State going on two weeks ago. The Longhorns scored 21 fourth-quarter points to outscore the Buckeyes 24-23 at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.Looking ahead to this weekend, the Tennessee game will be Texas’ first SEC road game of the 2026 regular season, as well as the program’s first trip to Neyland Stadium after joining the league in 2024.Tennessee’s offense will be led by freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon, who threw for 178 yards and a passing touchdown, while also adding a rushing touchdown, versus Kennesaw State.Meanwhile, Texas will also seek to hold its consensus top-ranking as the nation’s No. 1 team, all while also avoiding yet another slow start, such as what the team experienced versus UTSA.FanDuel’s 5.5-point spread suggests fans can expect to catch a hyper-competitive matchup, and the 55.5-point total is a hint that both teams will arrive ready for an offensive showdown. Texas and Tennessee kicks off at 11 a.m. Central on ABC.